Mr. and Mrs. George Burris will celebrate their 40th Wedding Anniversary Sunday, Nov. 2 and will be honored by their children with Open House at their home at 808 Crittenden between the hours of 2-4 p.m.

Mrs. Burris is the former Louise Herrington, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Herrington of DeGray in Clark County. Mr. Burris is a native of Pope County, but has resided in Arkadelphia since 1923. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Burris, Sr. of Russellville. He is a retired assistand Post Master of the local post office having retired Dec. 31, 1958.

Mr. and Mrs. Burris were married Nov. 8, 1929, at the home of Mrs. Sybil Welch. Rev. John Kilburn was the officiating minister and the attendents were Mr. and Mrs. Paul Horne.

They are the parents of three daughters, Mrs. T. A. Lensing and Mrs. Edward Neumann of Little Rock and Mrs. H. H. Rutherford, Jr. of El Dorado and one son, W. F. (Bill) Burris, also of Little Rock. They have thirteen grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

No cards will be sent but all friends and relatives are invited to attend.

Mr. and Mrs. George Burris were honored Sunday, Nov. 2 with a reception in observance of their 40th Wedding Anniversary held in their home from 2 to 4 p.m.

In the receiving line with the honorees were their four children, Mrs. T. A. Lensing and Mrs. Edward Neumann of Little Rock, Mrs. H. H. Rutherford, Jr. of El Dorado and W. F. (Bill) Burris, also of Little Rock. Mrs. Paul Horne of Malvern, twin sister of Mrs. Burris, greeted guests at the door.

The house was decorated in all areas using the appropriate colors for the occasion of red and pink. The fireplace mantel decor included ivy and crystal holders which held white tapers. The dining table was covered with a red tablecloth overlaid with a white lace cloth centered with an arrangement of red carnations and white mums flanked by candelabras with red candles. The three tiered white wedding cake with pink rosebud trim and red punch were served. Diane Pittman of El Dorado serve dthe cake and Debbie Rutherford of El Dorado and Kathy Lensing of Little Rock alternated at the punch bowl, all of whom are grandchildren. The rest of the 13 grandchildren were also dispensing hospitality and wore red corsages.

The many beautiful gifts, all of which were red or pink, were displayed and were the subject of interest and admiration.

A total of 105 guests signed the red guest book with Dee Burris in charge.

Thanks to my cousin for supplying the news clipping announcing the celebration. (One thing we both noticed was that the first clipping said Grandma's married twin sister was her attendant at her wedding. That's not true - Inez was still quite single and living with her sister and brother-in-law when they were newlyweds in the 1930 census. She did not marry until October 1930.)

You might wonder why so much to-do about a 40th wedding anniversary, when the golden 50 is the one so often seen on the society page of your hometown newspaper.

My dad clued me in on that...the family was afraid Granddaddy might not make it to the 50th.

He didn't. George Burris died on 7 May 1974, five years before his golden wedding anniversary.